Proof Positive
by AquaTurquoise
Summary: Cedric and Sofia attend a sorcery seminar in the Kingdom of Helvetica where they run into Gabriella, a reformed sorceress-in-training whom they encountered a few years ago. She informs them that her mentor, Sir Finlay, has been arrested on what she proclaims are false charges of treason and seeks their help to clear his name. *Many references to "Magic of Memories"* *Chapter story*
1. Across a Crowded Room

Proof Positive

Summary: Cedric and Sofia attend a sorcery seminar in the Kingdom of Helvetica where they run into Gabriella, a reformed sorceress-in-training whom they encountered a few years ago. She informs them that her mentor, Sir Finlay, has been arrested on what she proclaims are false charges of treason and seeks their help to clear his name. *Many references to "Magic of Memories"*

Disclaimer: I don't own _Sofia the First_. I only own Gabriella, Sir Finlay, the Kingdom of Helvetica, and any original characters associated with it.

A/N: Please make sure you've read my story "Magic of Memories" before you read this; otherwise, you'll likely be confused with any references made in here. Lol. Anyway, Cedric and Sofia can never just enjoy an outing to sorcery-related events. No, there's always _something_ that comes up that either deters them or requires their attention. *ahem* …This is no different. :p This is going to be a sort of 'who-done-it' type of story. Spoiler alert: It's not who you think it is. ;) With that said, enjoy!

Chapter List:

1: Across a Crowded Room

2: Framework

3: Dungeons and Dragons

4: A Break in the Pattern

5: Gideon

6: Approach

7: Honesty is the Worst Policy

*Story*

Chapter 1: Across a Crowded Room

"Ooh, I'm so excited!" Sofia, dressed in her apprentice outfit yet again, gushed as she peered out the sides of the flying coach. She turned back to Cedric, who seemed a little less enthusiastic than she did, although she could tell he was secretly excited too. "I love going to these Sorcery Seminars with you, Mr. Cedric. Thanks for inviting me."

"It's the least I could do," he informed her with a shrug. "After all, they will have all sorts of new spells and magical instruments there this year. I figured we could probably pick up a few things before heading back to Enchancia."

"Will Merlin be there?" she wondered.

"More than likely. Though I doubt very much that he'll be all that thrilled to see me, considering…" He sighed, raking his hands through his hair.

Sofia just smiled and grabbed his hands, getting his attention. "Look, Mr. Cedric. If I can forgive you, so can he. Don't be so hard on yourself."

Cedric smiled thoughtfully, still amazed at the girl's resilience and ability to forgive so easily. "Thanks, Sofia."

"We're here, Princess Sofia," the driver announced as they touched down in front of a rather large building in the Kingdom of Helvetica.

Both friends thanked him and exited, instructing him to return at the end of the seminar, which would be late afternoon. As they observed the building, they noticed some rather eye-catching details. For example, the color of the building itself was a shade of deep blue they'd never seen before…and it even seemed to have moving properties. It was almost like looking at a stream of water or something. Cedric naturally assumed it was probably enchanted, and Sofia was inclined to agree.

They walked inside together and signed in before receiving their necessary materials for the meeting. Sofia tugged Cedric's sleeve and pointed toward the side of the room, indicating Merlin and a few other familiar wizards speaking. She smiled up at him, and he returned the sentiment.

"You want to go say hi?" she asked sweetly as they pressed on.

"Maybe later. Right now I'm more curious about some of those new instruments they had advertised. Follow me."

Sofia smiled and did just that. As they approached a table with a few demonstrators, she observed the items laid out before them. They were unlike the ones Cedric had in his workshop. These looked relatively new and boundary-pushing. She ran her fingers over a small object that resembled an hourglass.

"Ah, you've found the Sands of Time," a lady cooed as she picked up the object and turned it over, the green sand within now falling to fill the bottom of the other side. "It works similarly to an hourglass, as I'm sure you've guessed, but if you use this in accompaniment with the correct spell, you can quite literally control time. You can stop it, reverse it, forward it, or anything really."

The princess blinked and tilted her head. "It sounds really neat, but isn't it also sort of dangerous?"

The woman smiled in acknowledgement and shrugged. "I suppose it depends on whose hands it's in and what motive that person has for such an activity. Unfortunately, yes, I would agree with you…it could be quite dangerous in theory. Yet we try to encourage others to utilize it safely."

Oh, the irony… Magic and methodology went hand in hand, yet both _always_ seemed to fall into the wrong hands. Slickwell? Ivy? Rotten old Grimtrix? Yeah, they all had some sort of magic or magical item at their fingertips, and they allowed it to overpower their sense of morality, thereby causing nothing but chaos for those they encountered. Then again, she supposed she'd come to expect it by now. There were so many people making selfish decisions that it should have surprised her… Well, she chose to remain positive. She still believed in the good in people and that they could be helped. With that, she smiled up toward her mentor.

Cedric smiled back at her. "Find something interesting?"

She nodded before following him elsewhere. As they continued their observations, Sofia squinted as she stared at someone in the distance. Before long, realization dawned on her. "I know her," she said in awe as she tapped Cedric on the arm. "Mr. Cedric, look. Isn't that Miss Gabriella?"

"Huh?" He turned in the direction indicated and blinked in surprise. "Indeed, it is," he murmured curiously. "We haven't seen her in, what? A year? Two perhaps?"

Gabriella, a misguided sorceress-in-training whom Cedric had helped train a bit a few years ago, was indeed directly across the room from them. She now wore a more solid purple sorceress gown with an ebony pendant dangling around her neck—a new addition to her wardrobe, it seemed. Her hair was a bit longer and was tied back into two neat braids instead of being messily braided throughout. She no longer looked like a trainee. Instead, she looked like a legitimate sorceress. Of course, one thing both friends were curious about was her attitude.

Gabriella had been notoriously difficult to work with. She grew angry and frustrated often, which led her mentor, Sir Finlay, to sending her to Cedric to train so that she could receive a different perspective instead of his consistent one she'd evidently grown too used to. Also, she'd had some sort of unexpected rivalry with Amber. For some reason, Gabriella had felt threatened by Amber, like she was seeking attention from Sir Finlay, with whom she was actually in a relationship…so she'd attempted to wipe the girl's memories as punishment. Though she'd fixed and owned up to that problem, the fact that she had caused such a ruckus in the first place had really unnerved the Enchancian group.

Still, time managed to change people. Maybe with age came wisdom? With that thought in mind, Sofia waved to get the other girl's attention.

Cedric made a face. "Are you sure you want _her_ to see you?"

"Mr. Cedric, have a little faith. Maybe she's matured."

"Says the most mature princess I know," he uttered sarcastically, making her giggle.

Gabriella indeed noticed the friends and actually seemed to light up. In fact, she crossed the floor to them so quickly that they were surprised. "Oh, wow. Cedric and Princess Sofia of Enchancia… I never thought I would see you two here," she said in an almost awed manner.

"Miss Gabriella, what are you doing here?" Sofia asked happily. "Are you here with Sir Finlay?"

At the mention of her mentor's name, her face grew rather distressed all of a sudden.

"Is everything all right, Miss Gabriella?" Cedric asked in concern, noting the dark-haired girl seemed really out of sorts.

"Um, c-could we talk privately please? There's…something you two should know." At their affirmative responses, she led them away and toward a secure and out-of-the-way room. She pushed a chair up against the door after locking it, just to ensure no one would attempt to interrupt their private meeting. She turned and sat in the chair, holding her head in her hands. "I…don't even know where to start."

"The beginning," the young princess suggested as she placed one hand on the sorceress's hand.

Gabriella glanced up, her brown eyes shining with unshed tears. She looked at both of them and sighed heavily. "Finlay has been…arrested."

They both gasped in shock. Sir Finlay? The kindest, gentlest, most noble sorcerer either had met? Arrested?

"For what?" Cedric inquired.

"Treason against King Cyprus of Helvetica," she responded methodically, as if she'd repeated the same phrase for far too long.

Sofia gazed up at Cedric, who seemed rather speechless. She looked back at the other girl. "This is a joke, right? Sir Finlay could never be guilty of treason."

Gabriella frowned heavily and shut her eyes as tears started streaming down her face. She hated crying. She felt she was much stronger than that, but given the circumstances, she felt they were warranted. She did gasp in surprise, though, when she felt small hands wiping her tears away. She opened her eyes and sighed gratefully as she gently patted Sofia's hands. "He was found guilty for plotting to overthrow the king. Apparently that's something that's been going around a lot lately…"

Again, Sofia and Cedric exchanged concerned looks before returning their attention to her. Could Sir Finlay have been involved with the Order of the Wand with Grimtrix? No, it was impossible! But then again, they had to consider the surprise guests they'd seen at that meeting…

"You don't believe he did it, do you?" Cedric inquired, more as a statement rather than a question. After all, he knew of his old friend's involvement with the sorceress, so naturally he'd expect the bond they shared to be rather strong.

"I… Cedric, there is no way Finny could do something like that. He would never. Finlay has the biggest heart and the most intact sense of morality I know. If he's guilty of treason, then this world as we know it will cease to exist."

Sofia shook her head and lowered her hands to Gabriella's, squeezing them gently. "Don't worry, Miss Gabriella," she whispered reassuringly. "I'm with you. I don't believe Sir Finlay could have done something like that. There's just no way."

"So I suppose the real question is, 'What can be done?'" Cedric folded his arms as the two girls stood side by side.

The princess gave her friend a firm stare. "We need to help them, Mr. Cedric; we need to get to the bottom of this..."

To be continued…


	2. Framework

Proof Positive

Summary: Cedric and Sofia attend a sorcery seminar in the Kingdom of Helvetica where they run into Gabriella, a reformed sorceress-in-training whom they encountered a few years ago. She informs them that her mentor, Sir Finlay, has been arrested on what she proclaims are false charges of treason and seeks their help to clear his name. *Many references to "Magic of Memories"* *Chapter story*

Disclaimer: I don't own _Sofia the First_. I only own Gabriella, Sir Finlay, the Kingdom of Helvetica, and any original characters associated with it.

A/N: Glad to see people enjoying the story so far! 😉 I've seen a few making some guesses as to who the "real" troublemaker may be. Just keep in mind that Gabriella and Finlay are not necessarily going to have the same enemies as Cedric and Sofia, though I won't say it's impossible. :D That's all I'm going to say. Yep, there's plenty of mystery here (theblindwriter95). Yes, you'll see some bonding in here with Cedric and Sofia, though keep in mind that there's a bigger picture to all of this. :) Don't worry. Plenty of sweet moments throughout (Mr. Shortman92). And Royal Detective, you are correct…but _why_? Haha! Here's chapter 2, so I hope you enjoy! :)

*Story*

Chapter 2: Framework

After determining that they would, in fact, try their best to help Gabriella exonerate Sir Finlay of the crime with which he was charged, the sorceress led Sofia and Cedric back to the castle where she now lived and worked. The castle itself was rather large and quite beautiful. Like the building where they'd met for the Sorcery Seminar, the exterior of the castle was a shade of ethereal blue with numerous colorful plants outlining the building. The castle was situated across a bridge (just like Enchancia's, Sofia noticed), but the water was much father down. Instead of the usual blue shade, which most would come to expect of water, it was a gradient of purple and green. It was unlike anything they'd ever seen before.

"Here it is: home sweet home," Gabriella told them, though it was easy to tell she'd said the word 'home' with a sense of irony and obvious bitterness. After all, she'd have to return to this place where her mentor was held for something she claimed he could never do, and she was expected to carry on as if nothing were out of the ordinary.

"So…with Sir Finlay…indisposed at the moment," Cedric began, treading carefully with his choice of words, "does that mean you've taken his place for the time being?"

"Something like that. Although King Cyprus doesn't necessarily trust me nearly as much as he did Finny. He thinks I have no idea what I'm doing, if I'm being completely transparent." She rolled her eyes. "He can be so…difficult." She sighed, her resolve to continue withering the longer she dwelled on the reality. "Let's just head inside before I lose my nerve." She blinked and looked down when she felt Sofia take her hand for comfort. She actually smiled, appreciative of the girl's notable kindness. With a gentle squeeze of the girl's hand for comfort, she spoke to the guards and got them approved for entry before going inside.

The interior was just as majestic as the exterior. Glorious golds and silvers were intricately woven into numerous designs in the walls and ceiling. Several chandeliers lined the hallway and were focal points of plenty of the rooms they passed up. Sofia made particular note of the large indoor water fountain, which seemed to shimmer with a magical property.

"Finny made that," Gabriella confirmed with a sigh. "All he's done, and they still think him a traitor…"

"That's what we're here to disprove," Cedric encouraged her gently so that they wouldn't be overheard. "Don't be so discouraged so easily, Miss Gabriella. We'll get to the bottom of this."

She gave him an appreciative nod and released Sofia's hand as they reached the doors to the throne room. "Let me do the talking at first. If you two want to speak to the royal family, keep it on neutral ground. If they ask why you're here, the obvious response is the real one: you're here for the Sorcery Seminar and merely came to visit _me_. Make no mention of Finlay. It will be suspicious. In fact, it wouldn't hurt to say something like we're colleagues or something, Cedric."

"I suppose, in a way, we sort of are now…" He shrugged. "We'll leave the conversations to you."

"Although—" Sofia blinked when she realized Cedric had placed a hand over her mouth to keep her from saying anything else. She gave him a sarcastic look. Did he really expect her to just stay silent? What? Was he afraid she'd say too much and blow their cover? …Yep, that was probably it. She sighed and rolled her eyes before removing his hand. "Okay, Mr. Cedric… I get it."

"I'm glad you see it my way," he remarked somewhat playfully, garnering a smile from his apprentice.

Satisfied with their responses, Gabriella gave the necessary information to one of the guards and stepped back as the doors opened. She led them inside and walked directly in front of the set of thrones where the king, queen, and evidently their little son were all seated. She lowered into a humble bow as the two behind her followed suit. "Your Majesties," she greeted softly.

"Gabriella," King Cyprus, a red-haired king with a big and bushy mustache greeted amicably before looking behind her, his brown eyes narrowing in curiosity. "And who have we here?"

They all stood and Gabriella took it into her own hands to introduce them. "King Cyprus, this is Princess Sofia of Enchancia and her friend, Cedric the Sensational, Royal Sorcerer of Enchancia. Both have come to participate in the Sorcery Seminar, where I happened to encounter them."

The man raised an eyebrow at her. "Is the seminar over so soon? I was told you would be gone all day."

She smiled, obviously a strained one, the two friends could tell, and nodded. "It is all day, but I realized I'd forgotten some very important materials for our meetings, and they kindly accompanied me back to get what I needed."

"Ah, I see. Make sure you keep yourself organized, young one. It makes life much easier."

"Yes, sir." She had a few choice words for his condescending tone, but she didn't want to get arrested too.

King Cyprus stood and bowed respectfully to Sofia. "Princess Sofia, correct?"

Sofia giggled and curtsied politely. "Yes, sir. I know—I look a little less like a princess today, I guess. I'm actually Mr. Cedric's apprentice and decided to wear my outfit to reflect that." She smiled. "You have a beautiful kingdom, Your Majesty."

"I appreciate that. Oh, let me introduce you to my family." He gestured toward his wife. "This is Queen Léonie, my wife, and Prince Luca, my son."

"I just turned fwee!" the little boy announced with a big grin, his crown slipping down his head and falling around his eyes. "Ah! It's dark!"

"Does he remind you of anyone?" Cedric quietly asked Sofia, who snickered. Oh, the resemblance between the boy and James was rather obvious to both.

Sofia laughed. "It's nice to meet you all. And happy belated birthday, Prince Luca."

Luca giggled.

Gabriella sighed as the king sat back down. "Well, if it pleases Your Majesties, we must be going. The meetings will begin soon, and we're on a bit of a deadline."

"Of course… Gabriella, when you return this evening, please be sure to take a look at the schedule for the upcoming events. We'll need a magical hand, so to speak, and I'm afraid you're it…" The disappointment with which he'd said that was not lost to anyone in the room. Obviously, he didn't necessarily trust her as much as he had Sir Finlay.

"Yes, sir." She bowed once more before ushering the other two from the throne room.

"That was tense," Sofia told her as they walked out of earshot of everyone.

"Ugh, you're telling me. King Cyprus is convinced that I'm an accomplice in this 'grand scheme' that they think Finlay had. No proof or anything, but he's still somehow going to believe it. He doesn't care for me though and has always been somewhat standoffish with me, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

"With such a kind disposition as you possess?" Cedric gasped in mock surprise. "I can't imagine why."

"Hey, I've changed a lot these last two years."

Well, they couldn't deny her that. She had been much calmer and less prone to violent outbursts. Time had been much kinder to her this round.

"Anyway, let's get down to Finny's workshop and we can talk a bit more openly."

"His workshop is under the castle?" Sofia inquired with a curious look.

"Yeah. Our towers are blocked off for security reasons. So he had to make do with what he could." She reached a wall and pressed a loose stone, smiling as the wall moved ninety degrees, allowing them entrance. She glanced toward the Enchancian inhabitants. "Follow me."

Cedric and Sofia followed Gabriella as the wall shut behind them and locked back. The descending staircase was well-illuminated and not nearly as intimidating as they'd expected something located in the basement to be. In fact, it was something of a rather comfortable atmosphere. They paused at the bottom when Gabriella stopped again in front of a large oak door.

The sorceress removed her pendant from her neck and inserted the jewel into the peculiar lock on the door, opening it instantly.

Sofa nudged Cedric with a grin. "Now _that's_ the kind of lock you need, Mr. Cedric," she joked.

"And yet, Baileywick would still somehow figure out how to get inside so he can do that meticulous cleaning of his." He rolled his eyes as she giggled.

They walked inside and were greeted with a burst of cold air, proving the door had been sealed for a while. The room lit up instantly with various shades of red and blue, torches on the wall automatically lighting as the visitors entered. They could see shelves of books and several scientific and magical instruments lining the tables within. Beakers, pipettes, vials, burners, a cauldron, a mortar and pestle, a crystal ball…just everything expected in a sorcerer's workshop was in this one. But there was one thing that caught Sofia's eye.

She smiled as she walked forward, stopping in front of a rather large portrait of Finlay and Gabriella in an embrace, looking as in love as any other couple. She turned back to Gabriella. "Is this recent?" she wondered. "This painting?"

The dark-haired girl inhaled once and nodded. "Last year, actually…when Finlay and I eloped."

"Wait, what?" Cedric blinked. "You and Sir Finlay…got married?" Oh, great. So now, not only was she his apprentice, but she was also his wife. That was certainly unexpected!

She folded her arms. "Yes, in secret. No one in this kingdom even knows we're married. I can't even wear a ring…"

Sofia frowned in sadness for the girl, who obviously seemed distressed by this topic. "Why not? Everyone who's in love should be able to express it. That's not fair to you."

"Let me just be blunt. King Cyprus doesn't like me, and he certainly doesn't trust me. It was my idea to keep our marriage a secret, because I didn't want the king's dislike of me to transfer to Finlay." She laughed bitterly at the irony. "Turns out it doesn't matter though, since he had him arrested anyway. So much for loyalty." She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "All that aside, I now keep the secret because I need to protect myself this time around. If they find out we're married, not only will Finlay never regain his reputation he'd worked his whole life to build, but I'd immediately be considered an accomplice and tossed into the dungeon with him. Then again, maybe it should go ahead and happen. At least we'll be together."

Cedric sighed heavily. "Miss Gabriella, don't speak like that. No one who's innocent of a crime should fold so easily and bow to the expectations of another. Be perfectly honest with both of us: did you plot to overthrow the king?"

"…No. I may not like him very much, but I'm not stupid." She put her hands on her hips. "And neither is Finlay. None of this makes much sense to me."

"We'll figure out what's going on," Sofia soothed as she began looking at all of the things in the workshop. "There has to be some sort of evidence in here to clear Sir Finlay's name."

The three friends worked together for nearly half an hour, sifting through every book and each nook and cranny. For some reason, they managed to miss the most obvious area in the workshop: Sir Finlay's work desk.

Cedric turned out of curiosity when he'd not found anything yet. He noticed a leather-bound book stuffed to the brim with what appeared to be notes, likely for spells. He walked over and unbuckled the book, opening it fully and blinking when a piece of folded parchment fell out. He picked it up and unfolded it, his eyes skimming the contents. The color slowly drained from his face. "Oh, dear Merlin…"

"Mr. Cedric?" Sofia and Gabriella both turned to the sorcerer, curious as to what he'd discovered. "What's wrong?"

He handed the parchment to Gabriella, who gasped. "A plot…to overthrow King Cyprus," Cedric managed, disbelieving the very words leaving his lips.

Sofia frowned suspiciously.

"This can't be," Gabriella said in disbelief. "Finny wouldn't—he couldn't… He respects King Cyprus even more than I can fathom, and he's just so loyal to the family. There's no way this is his!" She growled and slammed the paper on the desk, the loud sound echoing off the walls.

"I agree," Sofia told her confidently, garnering the attention of the other two. "Think about it. Sir Finlay is very intelligent, right?"

"The smartest man I know," Cedric responded, Gabriella nodding in agreement.

"Well, why would any intelligent man—or anyone for that matter—just leave evidence lying around? And in a book that's not even locked, lying on a desk that he uses all the time? Sure, the door is locked with a special mechanism, but that wouldn't necessarily stop them from getting someone to break it down or uncharm it. My point is, it's kind of fishy that something like this would be in plain sight."

"You know what this means," Cedric suggested as the girls looked at him with realization on their faces. "I'm quite confident about this. Sir Finlay was set up, and we need to figure out who's responsible immediately, lest they allow an innocent man to remain locked away forever."

To be continued…


	3. Dungeons and Dragons

Proof Positive

Summary: Cedric and Sofia attend a sorcery seminar in the Kingdom of Helvetica where they run into Gabriella, a reformed sorceress-in-training whom they encountered a few years ago. She informs them that her mentor, Sir Finlay, has been arrested on what she proclaims are false charges of treason and seeks their help to clear his name. *Many references to "Magic of Memories"* *Chapter story*

Disclaimer: I don't own _Sofia the First_. I only own Gabriella, Sir Finlay, the Kingdom of Helvetica, and any original characters associated with it.

A/N: Well, if you were hoping to see what's become of Sir Finlay, you've got your wish. This chapter is all about him…and the guy who happens to be his fellow prisoner (and to be completely honest, one of my favorite original characters ever, which you'll understand toward the end of the story). We'll get back to the mystery solving in the next chapter, but I wanted to make sure you have Finlay's perspective as well. 😊 Here we go!

*Story*

Chapter 3: Dungeons and Dragons

Drip. Drip. Drip.

The consistent, loud, annoying dripping of water somewhere in the corner of the dungeon was enough to drive anyone mad. And for the past week since his arrest, Sir Finlay was seriously beginning to question his resilience, simply because of the reliably disturbing dripping of life's greatest resource.

The silver-haired man sighed as he turned over on his cot and pressed a pillow to his ear. He looked a little worse for wear at this point. His normally immaculately styled hair was tangled despite his attempt at upkeep, and he'd need as much magic as conditioner to get it back to normal at this point. Since he'd been arrested in the evening, he was still wearing his deep red pajama set, which now had little snags and tears here and there. Nothing a bit of wand magic couldn't fix. Oh, that's right. They'd _taken_ his wand. It was likely that even Gabriella didn't know where it was at this point.

 _Gabby_ …

Considering he hadn't seen his apprentice—his wife—in several days at this point, he could only assume that she had somehow managed to abstain from linking herself to his arrest. Truthfully, he was relieved. While he was adamant that he'd had nothing to do with the plot to overthrow the king, he had to admit that the evidence seemed stacked against him. According to the king, _he_ had come running into the throne room, demanding everyone do as he say or he'd take control by force. "The very idea," he muttered with a roll of his blue eyes. "I want only my little space under the castle and Gabriella. That's all I need. _Why_ would I take over this kingdom?"

He was a little fuzzy on the true details, because some of the guards had been a bit rough with him when shoving him into the cell, and he'd hit his head on the stone wall when entering. He didn't remember exactly what had happened, but he had a clear idea that _he_ was not responsible. He just wished he could recall clear-cut evidence to prove that he was telling the truth. If nothing else, perhaps Gabriella could do so.

Not that he didn't trust his wife with the task of vindicating him, but Gabriella tended to think with her emotions instead of her brain. If she was angry, he sincerely wished the best to those in her path of rage. And he had no doubt in his mind that she was frustrated now, which could easily lead to her infamous anger. Either way, he wondered just how much longer he'd be kept down here…and when he could get a shower, because truly, this was not sitting well with him at all. Should he be pardoned, he made a mental note to have an audience with the king about this very issue.

"Hey!"

Sir Finlay blinked when he heard a loud whisper coming from the other cell to his left. He'd not had communication with anyone since his imprisonment, so to hear another human speaking to him was a bit of a surprise. He raised his eyebrows when he saw a younger brown-haired man—probably no older than twenty-five or so—staring at him with his large baby blue eyes. "Can I help you?"

"What are ya in here for?" the man asked with a grin.

If there was one thing he knew, Finlay was quite aware of the fact that he should _never_ divulge too much information when in this setting. So, he replied with, "Wrong place at the wrong time, I'm afraid. What of you, young man?"

"Oh, you can call me Ira."

"Finlay," the older man returned in kind.

"Ah! Okay, well, I was arrested a few years ago for stealing…eh, probably over twenty times in a few days' time. Though to be honest, I'd stolen a lot more than that before they caught me."

The sorcerer blinked in surprise. This harmless-looking young man was a petty thief? "Really?"

"Well, it's not exactly as bad as it sounds, I promise." Ira twisted his hands in an almost shy manner. "I was trying to get food for my family."

"Your family?"

"Yeah, I've got a wife and two kids, and my little sister Anamaria lives with us since our parents passed away a while ago." He lowered his head. "I used to have a steady job like the others in the village, but times are hard, and I was dismissed indefinitely. So, as I had no choice, I stole to feed them." A look of sorrow crossed his features. "I can only hope that they were able to take care of themselves since I've been gone."

Sir Finlay frowned. This is where the system was failing. Rather than taking care of the less fortunate, more resources in Helvetica were being utilized for the upper classes. Something had to be done. Always the humanitarian, the sorcerer insisted, "Ira, I am terribly sorry for your family's hardships. I'll make you a promise, my friend." He sat up and looked at the young man directly in his eyes. "If I should get out of here before you do, I will see to it that your family is taken care of. No one deserves to suffer simply because of one's finances and status."

Ira offered the older man a genuine, heartfelt smile. "Thank you, Finlay…but that's not necessary."

Sir Finlay tilted his head. "Why do you say that? If I can help, I'd like to. I am a sorcerer, after all…I've literally got the power to help."

"Whoa! You know magic? Me too! Sort of… Um, well, here's the thing…and this is kind of between you and me, okay?" Ira seemed a bit anxious and nervous, Finlay noted, though he obviously wanted to tell him something rather important. Seeing the other man nod, Ira inhaled slowly. "I plan to get out of here on my own, just as soon as my powers return to me." Seeing the sorcerer's confusion, he explained briefly with a proud smile, "I'm actually a dragon."

Finlay blinked a few times before lying down again. "Ira, I really want to help you, but if you're not going to be serious, then—"

"No, I really am! Well, I'm technically _part_ dragon—on my mother's side. It's a long, complicated story. Something about 'love knows no bounds,' and then before you know it, adorable ' _druman_ ,' or 'dragon/human,' Ira was born." He grinned sheepishly.

The sorcerer sighed heavily. If the poor boy wanted to believe he was a dragon, who was he to stop him? After all, life spent in the dungeon could be rather monotonous and maddening, so if he had some sort of imaginative experience where he believed he was a dragon, who was he to stop him? "You don't say."

"Yeah! I'll tell you all about it at some point, but…" He yawned. "I'm kind of tired. Been a long day…you know, doing absolutely nothing. And I'd wanted to talk to you earlier in the week, but you always seemed a bit preoccupied with pacing back and forth and mumbling under your breath the last few days, so I didn't want to bother you."

Finlay chuckled. "How kind of you, Ira… Sleep well."

"G'night!" Ira settled into his cot on the other side of the opposite cell and fell asleep rather quickly, his snores filling the dungeon.

Sir Finlay sighed tiredly before turning over and allowing his mind to slowly shut down, his last thoughts of his beloved Gabriella and what would become of her if he, in fact, was never proven innocent. He fell asleep.

To be continued…


	4. A Break in the Pattern

Proof Positive

Summary: Cedric and Sofia attend a sorcery seminar in the Kingdom of Helvetica where they run into Gabriella, a reformed sorceress-in-training whom they encountered a few years ago. She informs them that her mentor, Sir Finlay, has been arrested on what she proclaims are false charges of treason and seeks their help to clear his name. *Many references to "Magic of Memories"* *Chapter story*

Disclaimer: I don't own _Sofia the First_. I only own Gabriella, Sir Finlay, the Kingdom of Helvetica, and any original characters associated with it.

A/N: Hi, all! Yes, I know, I've updated quite a lot today. It's one of my final days of summer freedom, so I'm using it to the best of my ability. Also, Royal Detective asked me how I did the smiley thing. I have no clue. Lol. I think it's because I was on an updated version of Microsoft Word on my laptop, and it inserted an emoji for whatever reason. I'm back on my normal computer now, and this version isn't doing that for whatever reason. So yeah, no clue! Also, I know Ira seems a little silly now, but just hang on. I'm not done with him yet! You'll see him again soon. Onward we go! :)

*Story*

Chapter 4: A Break in the Pattern

"There is no doubt in my mind that Sir Finlay was framed," Cedric told the girls as they remained in the workshop, discussing their plans. "However, I need more information. Miss Gabriella, take me back through that day when he was arrested. What exactly had transpired before all of that happened?"

"Well…" She held one hand to her forehead as she attempted to recall the events of the day. "It was a Friday. I'd said goodbye to him that morning, because he had told me of a meeting he had to attend in another kingdom. I didn't even think anything of it. He's a sorcerer—he always has royal meetings and such."

Cedric nodded with a heavy sigh. "I know his pain." He smiled lightly as Sofia giggled. "What happened next?"

"I tidied up the workshop and got to work on some of our spells we'd been working on. I wasn't feeling well at one point, so I decided to take a nap. Several hours later, I woke up and took a walk to get some fresh air, and maybe some food. Finlay actually met me in the hallway, which seemed about right as far as timing went. Right after he met up with me, that's when he was arrested."

"So," Sofia started as she tried to piece things together. "Sir Finlay was gone to a business conference when all of this was going on. But people said that they saw _him_ making claims of taking over the kingdom? Something isn't right here." She frowned before glancing at Cedric. "How hard is it to make a masquerading potion?"

"Not too terribly hard if you have the correct ingredients," he responded before blinking. "So you're thinking someone was pretending to be him, not just framing him."

Gabriella nodded solemnly. "It makes sense. But who would be dumb enough to try to imitate Finny?"

"Someone who was successful, I'm afraid," the sorcerer told her. "Miss Gabriella, are there colleagues of Sir Finlay's who could testify to his being there?"

"Of course. Oswald the Honorable. George the Gentle. Marilyn the Mighty. And plenty others I'm sure… But getting all of them together before the king would be nearly impossible. For starters, despite knowing their names, I don't know where they live…" She folded her arms. "So maybe we need another tactic?"

"I hate to ask it," Cedric continued, "but did he have any enemies? Or did he, perhaps, even accidentally slight or offend someone?"

"Finlay? No. Everyone loves him." She smiled lightly at the thought of her husband. "Even the hardest hearts like him. I guess that's what drew me to him…"

The princess had been listening to all of this and suddenly stood up. "Miss Gabriella, do you know of any shapeshifters in Helvetica by any chance? I know it's a long shot, but if not, I have another plan."

Gabriella pondered her question before shaking her head. "No 'shapeshifters,' per se. There are plenty who dabble in magic on and off, but there's no one who—oh, no." Her eyes widened.

"What is it?" Sofia asked in concern.

"There was, um… There was something that happened a few weeks ago that I just recalled. Finny and I were at a social event for Helvetica, and we were approached by this boy…"

*A few weeks ago*

" **Another cider, my dear?" Sir Finlay asked his apprentice as he offered her a glass of the golden substance.**

 **She giggled and waved it away. "I really shouldn't, Finlay. Besides, it's getting late." Her eyes shifted to the king, who appeared to be glancing at them every now and then. "Do you think he knows?" she whispered as Sir Finlay drank her proffered cider.**

" **Honestly? As much as I admire King Cyprus, he's a bit dense when it comes to certain things."**

 **The sorceress snickered. "Finlay the Flawless makes a snide remark about someone?" She grabbed him by his pendant and pulled him closer, their faces rather close to each other. "I'm impressed."**

 **He chuckled. "First of all, that's not my title…don't even have one." He tapped her nose playfully, making her sputter. "Second of all, it wasn't a 'snide' remark. More an observation." He took her hand that was holding his pendant, releasing the gem, and kissed it gently, smirking as a rare blush made its way across her cheeks.**

" **Finny, what if they see?"**

" **Let them," he murmured, pulling her ever closer.**

" **Excuse me!"**

 **They quickly pulled apart, surprised by the sudden intrusion. They observed what appeared to be a teenaged boy with his medium-length brown hair tied into a low ponytail and a red outfit to match his ruby eyes. He couldn't have been older than maybe nineteen, though he seemed rather strange at first look.**

" **May I help you?" Sir Finlay inquired as Gabriella moved behind him. He knew she was a bit more aloof with strangers, so he wasn't necessarily surprised at her reaction.**

" **You're Sir Finlay, aren't you?" the boy asked excitedly.**

" **I am—"**

" **Oh, my stars, it's so awesomely amazing to meet you!" He grabbed Sir Finlay's hand and started shaking it enthusiastically. "I'm Gideon, and I've been studying magic for a long time now. And if it pleases you, I'd love to come study magic with you!"**

" **Wait a minute," Gabriella interrupted, grabbing her husband's hand and pushing him away from the boy. "There's only one apprentice here, and that's me, kid. So back off."**

 **The brunette raised his eyebrows at the girl before him. "Kind of old to be an apprentice, aren't you?"**

" **Why, you little-!" She growled as Sir Finlay took her arms and gently pulled her back. "Let me go, Finlay! I'm going to teach this little brat some manners!"**

 **Gideon smirked at her reaction before smiling kindly toward the sorcerer. "If you ever decide you'd rather have a more compliant apprentice, just remember my name: Gideon."**

" **You'll never amount to anything," Gabriella seethed, her words dripping with venom. "Keep your precious ambitions to yourself, and stay away from my hu—mentor. Now go! Get out!" She didn't even realize that all eyes were on them now.**

" **I…" Gideon gasped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. A guard had come and was now escorting him out. He left without a fight.**

" **Was that really necessary?" Finlay asked as he released the girl and gave her a stern stare, his arms folded.**

" **I got a bad feeling from him," she mumbled in defense.**

" **It's called 'jealousy,' Gabby." He smirked when she tossed him a glare. "Remember? That horrid little feeling you get when someone tries to get my attention?"**

" **Oh, shut up. Besides, that's not even…what I really mean. I just don't get good feelings about that kid." She looked toward the exit, where the doors shut Gideon out.**

" **I wouldn't worry. The guards have taken care of him, and besides, I don't feel he's much of a threat either way." He unfolded his arms and reached forward, grasping her hands. "Now, where were we?"**

 **She giggled as he pulled her in for a kiss.**

*Present Day*

"So you became jealous that some boy was getting attention from Sir Finlay," Cedric concluded, rolling his eyes. "Dear girl, will you ever learn your lesson?"

"Mr. Cedric, I think you missed the point," Sofia giggled as Gabriella made an annoyed sound. "Miss Gabriella said he'd been kicked out of the party, but she also had a bad feeling about him." She looked toward the older girl. "Honestly, I get bad feelings about some people too. A lot of others tend to dismiss my bad feelings, but I know I'm right. Sounds like you've got the same thing."

"Yeah, maybe, but that's not even the creepy part. On the day Finlay was arrested for treason, I _saw_ that kid in the hallways after I'd taken my nap; he was strutting around like he owned the place or something. But when I thought to follow after him and see what was going on, I lost him. Not much longer after that, Finlay arrived and greeted me. I remember needing to have a talk with him before getting arrested, and the rest is history…" She sighed, rubbing her arms. "I just miss him so much, you guys. And I can't just waltz into the dungeon, because it's heavily guarded… And he just seemed so confused when he was being hauled away like some common criminal…and I saw that look of betrayal on his face." She frowned, fisting her hands. "He didn't do it. I know it."

"I'm inclined to agree," Cedric informed her. "But without evidence—positive evidence vindicating him—we seem to be at a stalemate. What can we even do?"

Sofia smiled at both of them. "We can find Gideon," she suggested. "He seems to be the link here, and he's probably the only one who knows the truth."

"Even so, how are we going to persuade him to speak with us?"

The princess tapped her chin thoughtfully before grinning. "I have an idea. We need to go back to the Sorcery Seminar first, and then we'll find this Gideon person. But we need to hurry. We're running out of time."

With that plan in motion, the three friends left out the back part of the castle and headed on their way.

Meanwhile, in a small cabin on the outskirts of the Village of Smaragd where most of the subjects of Helvetica lived, a ponytailed brunette boy paced his floor fiercely, muttering to himself, before stopping and picking up what appeared to be a small portrait of Gabriella and Finlay. Anxious hands ripped the photo directly down the middle, Finlay's side cast aside while Gabriella's was burned in the candle on the desk that most of his work inhabited. "Make a fool of me, will you?" he muttered with an angry growl. "I'll make you pay…" He smirked as the portrait burned to cinders. "You're nothing without your _mentor_ , Gabriella of Helvetica."

To be continued…


	5. Gideon

Proof Positive

Summary: Cedric and Sofia attend a sorcery seminar in the Kingdom of Helvetica where they run into Gabriella, a reformed sorceress-in-training whom they encountered a few years ago. She informs them that her mentor, Sir Finlay, has been arrested on what she proclaims are false charges of treason and seeks their help to clear his name. *Many references to "Magic of Memories"* *Chapter story*

Disclaimer: I don't own _Sofia the First_. I only own Gabriella, Sir Finlay, the Kingdom of Helvetica, and any original characters associated with it.

A/N: Thanks for sticking with me so far! ;) This chapter is a little shorter than most, but it's important. It's kind of like the "glue" chapter, so hope you enjoy it!

To answer a few things…

For trueGeek: Thanks, girl! Yes, Finlay is a great guy and cares a lot about Gabriella. He's not as stuffy as he seems, and that ends up helping out in his relationship with Gabriella. Yes, she still has a temper, but you're correct in saying it is more controlled. :) It came with a LOT of practice. And don't worry—I've got things planned out for the most part, so I'm pretty confident we can finish this story in only three chapters more. Haha. Some may be longer than others, but it will be done.

Mr. Shortman92: There's a bit more to Gideon than there appears, so don't let him fool you. He may look like a little brat (and trust me, he is), but there's more there. And of course there's a reason for the group to return to the seminar. There's a lot of stuff going on there, some of which they may be able to use to their advantage, so to speak. You'll see! And yep, you spelled it right. Wormy is back in Enchancia…probably working at the Raven Haven to keep his boredom at bay. :p Who knows? He and Nina may be having a picnic with Mr. Birdsong or something. Lol.

*Story*

Chapter 5: Gideon

While Gabriella and the Enchancian duo were on their way to the Sorcery Seminar, Gideon, a student of magic and science, barricaded himself in his little cabin. Most of the occupants of Smaragd knew of him, but few spoke to him. They found him a rather strange boy, always muttering to himself and studying subjects most villagers don't even understand.

Gideon was highly intelligent. While he wasn't currently enrolled in any literal schools, his schooling never stopped. For days on end, he would read magical text after magical text, and then he would switch to his scientific journals. As far as he was concerned, knowledge was power—any kind of power. He was a firm believer that science and magic went hand in hand…and that's how he discovered Sir Finlay of Helvetica.

Sir Finlay had published a few of his own books several years ago, including titles such as _Magic and Mystery: Scientific Anomaly_ and _The Mystery of Magic Revealed_. He'd become absorbed into this entirely misunderstood world, and soon it became his life. With some top secret training from people he didn't even fully know (or remember, now that he thought of it), he'd learned a lot more about the wizarding world. Now if only he could obtain a mentor like Sir Finlay. Scratch that. He'd wanted to have Sir Finlay himself as his mentor.

And then he'd met _her_. Gideon had not planned on Gabriella. She was quite a surprise, to say the least. If she'd been training with the silver-haired man for long, he'd somehow missed it. Gabriella was the epitome of selfishness, as far as the nineteen-year-old could tell. She was crass and rude; she enjoyed humiliating others and gaining a sense of superiority; she was, by far, the worst example of a human being…as far as Gideon was concerned. Therefore, he felt she was undeserving of Sir Finlay as her mentor.

He glared at the burned photo of the dark-haired sorceress before walking over to the window and peering outside at the afternoon sky. He thought back to recent events, which got his hero into much bigger trouble than he'd actually planned…

Yes, he'd disguised himself as Sir Finlay. Yes, he'd run into the room, proclaiming he wanted to take over the kingdom (after all, he'd heard quite a few other sorcerers had done it recently and had been _successful_ , so he figured he'd throw it out there). Well…he'd actually thought the king would just laugh it off and call Sir Finlay a jokester. As far as Gideon could tell, the two men had once had a cordial friendship with each other. However, that took a rather different turn pretty quickly. It led to the arrest of the _real_ Sir Finlay.

So why had he done it? Why put his hero through all of that? Because of _her_. She'd humiliated him at the party that night, and he couldn't live it down. Everyone knew he'd been publicly shamed by the sorceress, and people had laughed at him. Obviously, she was jealous of the fact that Gideon had wanted her precious mentor's attention. Well… He figured if _he_ couldn't train with Sir Finlay, then she shouldn't be able to either. If the silver-haired man had been accused of claiming ownership over the throne, he'd be dismissed and no longer be confined to the castle and to Gabriella, so he could be free to train whomever he wished. So he went through with his strategy. …Yeah, admittedly, Gideon hadn't quite thought his plan all the way through…curse the limitations of his teenaged mind… Now Sir Finlay was sitting in the dungeon for a crime he hadn't committed, while his annoying little sidekick had taken his place. _Great_. And there was certainly no way he'd ever train with _her_.

He'd wanted the girl to suffer, to be as humiliated as he was. People already thought he was weird and crazy, but now it was worse. Oh, he really wanted her to suffer more. Maybe there was another way… Maybe could find out more… Frowning in thought, he moved over to his magic item area and picked up a crystal ball he'd gotten from one of the shadier people he'd studied with. "Show me Gabriella of Helvetica."

The crystal ball reacted and shimmered an eerie green color for a few moments before demonstrating Gabriella speaking with Cedric and Sofia.

"What do we have here?" he asked curiously, as he focused on the conversation the trio was having.

" _So when did you and Sir Finlay elope last year?" Sofia asked curiously, obviously making casual conversation with the sorceress as they travelled._

"Elope?" Gideon's eyes widened. So they were married! That explained her reaction a lot.

" _Toward the end of the summer," the other girl replied. "Good thing too. I didn't want to listen to my mother trying to put her opinions in on a stupid wedding dress that I'm only going to wear once. She doesn't even know I'm married either, nor my dad…"_

" _Or anyone else except us, it seems," Cedric concluded with his arms folded._

" _You guys just don't understand. If the king hears that Finny married me, he'd lose all his credibility, and I'd be forced to leave or exiled…or whatever. I'm telling you, that man doesn't like me and would do anything he could to get rid of me."_

 _The princess stared at the older girl curiously. "There's something else you're not telling us, Miss Gabriella. I know it."_

 _She sighed. "Maybe, but just trust me for now, okay? Our marriage has to remain a secret… It's the only way I can assure that I'll be secure…and Finlay as well, for that matter."_

The crystal ball went silent, and Gideon placed it down and stared at it in awe. Wow, now _that_ was the kind of information he was looking for! He grinned wickedly and rubbed his hands together. "Hmm. I think a visit to the king is in order… 'Oh, Your Majesty, I have some big new for you! I'm afraid you missed Sir Finlay's accomplice in the attempt to overthrow you…his _wife_ , Gabriella of Helvetica.'" He cackled with mirth twinkling in those ruby red eyes. "Oh, it's too perfect! How could I have missed it before? Ha!" He paused before smirking. "I hope you're ready, you wretched brat, because I'm about to make you pay for the humiliation you put me through. Ready or not, here comes Gideon."

To be continued…


	6. Approach

Proof Positive

Summary: Cedric and Sofia attend a sorcery seminar in the Kingdom of Helvetica where they run into Gabriella, a reformed sorceress-in-training whom they encountered a few years ago. She informs them that her mentor, Sir Finlay, has been arrested on what she proclaims are false charges of treason and seeks their help to clear his name. *Many references to "Magic of Memories"* *Chapter story*

Disclaimer: I don't own _Sofia the First_. I only own Gabriella, Sir Finlay, the Kingdom of Helvetica, and any original characters associated with it.

A/N: Hey, guys! This is our next to last chapter! It's about to get pretty tense, so hang on tight. ;)

Mr. Shortman92: It's funny! I looked all over my previous stories in my files, typing in that phrase and similar ones to the book, and the closest I got was "Lavender Legends: Secrets of Avalor." But I know what you're saying. Seems like a familiar title. ;) And yeah, Gideon isn't quite what I'd call a "villain" yet. Nuisance? Absolutely. Lol. But we'll see.

*Story*

Chapter 6: Approach

"I have a bad feeling, Mr. Cedric," Sofia told her mentor as they were waiting for Gabriella, who was currently talking to someone at the Sorcery Seminar. "I mean… Well, do you ever get the feeling you're being watched?"

Cedric sighed. "Ever since Grimtrix, I feel like that all the time." He sat down in a chair and smiled as she leaned against him for comfort. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, easing her into a side hug. "It will be all right, Sofia. We're going to free Sir Finlay and get this whole mess straightened out."

"And what about that guy Miss Gabriella mentioned? Gideon?" She looked toward him. "What if he does have something to do with this? We don't know if he's dangerous or not—just that she didn't have a good feeling about him."

"We will be fine. You've got your amulet. I've got my wand. Miss Gabriella, I'm assuming, has her own wand… No matter what, I'll see to it that we have a story with a happy ending."

The princess grinned at her friend. "A reformed Mr. Cedric is a cheesy one." She giggled as he gave her a deadpanned look. "But I like cheese, and I guess I have to like you, being my mentor and all." She giggled again as he removed his arm and folded them both instead.

"I'll remember that," he told her mock-seriously, smirking as she just smiled. He looked up and nodded. "There's Miss Gabriella." He stood, brushing out his robe, as Gabriella approached. "Where have you been? You've been gone a while."

"Don't worry about that right now," she stated vaguely before placing what looked to be a small box in her dress pocket. "I'll explain a few things along the way, but we've got to be very cautious what we say and do from here on out. These may be colleagues of Finny's, but that doesn't necessarily transfer to me, unfortunately…" She gazed around at the sea of both familiar and unfamiliar faces, her countenance one of neutrality. She couldn't let them become aware of anything… "We need to return to the castle. If I'm right, we may be able to pardon Finlay sooner than I thought."

The two friends exchanged glances before deciding to take her advice and follow her back to the castle.

"I don't suppose we're actually going to physically _attend_ this year's conference," Cedric mumbled to Sofia as they were walking.

She smiled and shrugged. "I guess there's always next year then. Besides, we get to solve a mystery…a magical mystery."

"You do that all the time, my dear," he joked with a chuckle, making her grin.

"And don't you forget it."

Once they reached the castle and had even barely walked inside, the trio stopped as Gideon appeared before them.

"Not you again," Gabriella growled with restrained rage. If this boy had something to do with Sir Finlay's imprisonment, she was going to make sure that he paid and paid dearly.

"Is that any way to speak to an old friend?" Gideon remarked with a lazy smile as he tossed a small crystal ball into the air a few times before catching it.

"I'm guessing that's Gideon," Sofia whispered to Cedric, who nodded. The boy didn't even seem to be paying attention to them.

"We are _not_ friends."

"Of course not." He caught the crystal ball one last time before shooting the dark-haired girl a pointed stare. "You never allowed us to be. You were like Sir Finlay's bodyguard or something, never allowing him to speak to me on his own terms. Yes, yes—you're his 'apprentice' and all. Fancy that: a woman of your age being someone's mere apprentice."

"Watch it, you little nuisance," Gabriella sneered. "In case you're forgetting, you're talking to a legitimate sorceress now, and I have the power to blast your behind off the map." She held her hand to her ebony pendant, which glowed softly beneath her fingertips. She frowned when Gideon merely blinked at her. "So I wouldn't try me today. It's bad enough what happened with Finlay."

Gideon mocked surprise and concern. "Yes, I heard the poor man had been _arrested_ … Whatever for?" He looked skyward, a mask of innocence covering his face. "Treason, was it?"

"He's not even trying to feign innocent at this point," Cedric told his apprentice quietly.

Sofia frowned. "Something isn't right here, Mr. Cedric…"

"That's it," Gabriella announced, lowering her hand and wielding her wand instead, aiming it at the boy. "I'm going to enjoy teaching you a lesson." She never noticed who was coming her way, and at that point, she found it hard to care about much else than getting revenge.

"I wouldn't if I were you." Gideon tapped the crystal ball, the images from earlier playing before their very eyes.

" _You guys just don't understand. If the king hears that Finny married me, he'd lose all his credibility, and I'd be forced to leave or exiled…or whatever. I'm telling you, that man doesn't like me and would do anything he could to get rid of me."_

"Is that so, Gabriella?" King Cyprus asked as he approached them from the side. He narrowed his eyes toward the young sorceress, who quickly lowered her wand. "It seems I was right to question you. Not only have you wielded a wand against a defenseless young boy here—"

"—Your Majesty, with all due respect—"

"—You also have lied to me and all the other staff about your marriage to Sir Finlay? Why on earth would you do that? What have you to gain? I suppose old habits are indeed hard to break." He frowned when she looked down. "Oh, that's right. We don't talk about _that_ , do we? We're supposed to just pretend like it never happened. Were it not for Finlay, I would have cast you out long ago. Yet now with his sudden—surprising—betrayal, I see no reason to continue with you any longer."

She looked up with a gasp.

"Your Majesty, if I may?" Gideon asked shyly, getting the man's attention. "Well, sire, you said it yourself: Miss Gabriella is Sir Finlay's wife now. If that's the case, who's to say she's not his accomplice and was aiming to finish what her _husband_ started? After all, as you saw, she had no trouble wielding her wand against me…an ordinary boy with no way to defend myself. It would be nothing for her to do it against you, my king."

"I'll get you, you little creep!" Gabriella snarled and leaped forward, her wand raised and ready to strike. She gasped in shock when the guards grabbed her instead, and she struggled to get free. "Let me go! He's got what's coming to him!"

"Enough!" the king demanded, sighing in annoyance when she finally stilled. He ripped the wand from her fingers. "I'll take that. I suppose I should put it in the same location as I did with Sir Finlay's. It would be appropriate, would it not? Seeing as you two are _married_ and everything now…" He narrowed his eyes at her. "The boy's right. We can't take any chances. Lock her up in the dungeon until we can get things straightened out."

"No!" Gabriella quickly looked toward Sofia and nodded her head toward her pocket. "Quickly!" she whispered softly, sighing in relief as the girl grabbed the box from within and hid it behind her back. "Use it," she mouthed before being dragged off to the dungeon.

"And what are you two doing back here, Princess Sofia?" King Cyprus asked suspiciously as he gazed at the girl and the sorcerer. "I take it you're not actually here for the Sorcery Seminar?"

"We actually are," Cedric defended, pulling his apprentice to his side to protect her, just in case. He sent a warning glare to Gideon, who seemed to get the hint and backed off. "We were…unaware of this recent development, I'm afraid. If it pleases Your Majesty, we will leave."

"Please do so. I trust you know the way." With that, he and the remaining guards turned to leave. "Boy, come with me," he commanded, gesturing toward Gideon. "I'd like to thank you personally with a little feast for the prevention of yet another act of treason."

Gideon blinked, not expecting that turn of events. He beamed. "Yes, Your Majesty!" He sneered at the two friends before running to catch up with the king.

"This is so stupid," Sofia finally huffed as they were left alone. "This must be the Backwards Kingdom or something. I swear Miss Gabriella and Sir Finlay are the only smart people who live here. And why are they so against their marriage? What did Miss Gabriella do that made the king so mad? I just don't get it…"

"Calm down, Sofia." Cedric gestured toward the box she'd retrieved from the sorceress. "What did she tell you to get?"

"I don't know." She opened the box and blinked with wide eyes before handing it to her friend.

Cedric observed the contents and read over the instructions before looking back toward her. "This could be tricky," he admitted. "But if done correctly, I believe we may be able to save both Miss Gabriella and Sir Finlay."

"Well…if we're going to do this, we've got to be sneaky." She grabbed his hand and pulled him into a side corridor before placing her other hand over her amulet and closing her eyes. "We wish to be small."

With that, Cedric and Sofia shrank down to one-inch versions of themselves.

"I'll never get used to your amulet doing strange things like this," Cedric admitted as they scampered across the hallway in the direction they'd last seen the king and Gideon leave.

"Says the Royal Sorcerer with years of magic studies behind him?" she joked with an airy giggle, making him smirk.

"Touché." He gasped as a door opened. "Sofia, watch out!" He grabbed her and pulled them both against the wall as a man walked out with a rolling tea tray, his whistling off key and rather loud. He sighed in relief as the man left. "Sorry about that."

"It's fine. Better to be hurled against a wall than run over by giant wheels any day, I guess." She grinned and pulled him along. "Hurry! If I'm right about this, it won't take much longer before we can set them free."

"Unhand me _now_!" Gabriella's shouts could be heard all over the bottom half of the castle, including the expanse of the dungeon. She yelled in surprise as the guards holding her opened the door to a cell and shoved her inside, making her fall not-so-gracefully onto a cot. She jumped up quickly but not before the door slammed. She groaned in aggravation and shook the cell door as the guards took off. "Let me out of here! I didn't do anything! This is ridiculous!"

"Gabby?"

Gabriella paused in her actions and turned to her left, gasping as she saw Sir Finlay's face on the other side of the wall. While most of the wall was built up concrete, there was enough space for a 'window' of sorts with bars vertically covering it. "Finny?" She looked around and grabbed a chair before pushing it against the wall and standing on it, grasping the bars to keep her balance. "Finlay…" Her eyes softened as he gently took her hand and kissed it. "I have missed you so much…"

"As have I, my love," he responded kindly, his expressive blue eyes peering into her dark ones. He then frowned in confusion. "Gabby, what are you doing in here? Have you been arrested as well? What happened?"

"You remember that boy I told you I didn't trust at the party a while ago?" Seeing him nod uncertainly, she frowned. "I _know_ you didn't commit that crime, so I think he framed you, Finlay. He set us both up because I _embarrassed_ him at the party when I told him to buzz off and leave you alone. He must have pretended to be you and announced his plans to overthrow the king, which then got reflected onto you and got you arrested. And just earlier, I confronted him, and things got completely twisted around…he told King Cyprus that we're married…" She sighed when she saw the look of disappointment cross his features. "…And he said I must be an 'accomplice' because of it… When I moved to attack him—and yes, I admit it—the guards arrested me and brought me down here." She sighed heavily as he tightened his hold on her hands. "The king hates me, Finny. You know that. And now he has even more leverage against me. I just hate that it's reflecting so badly on you and your reputation…"

"Do you really think I care more about my reputation than you?" Sir Finlay challenged with an even stare at his wife. "My reputation isn't what loves me and stays by my side. You are."

Gabriella blushed lightly. "Finlay…"

"We'll figure this out, _mon cher_. There must be a way."

"Actually, there is _one_ way…" She smiled slowly as he blinked at her. "Cedric and Princess Sofia are here, and they have the _Sands of Time_ …"

The silver-haired man's eyes widened. "Cedric? What is he-? Of course, the Sorcery Seminar. Oh, well, you're certainly lucky to have them helping you, but wouldn't King Cyprus be suspicious?"

"Not likely. He doesn't even know who they are… But I'll tell you this. I trust Sofia. Something about that girl just screams 'protector' or 'savior' or something…so I have no doubt that she and Cedric will do what they can to clear our names."

"Hmm." Sir Finlay smiled at her. "I believe you are right. Meanwhile, I suppose all we can do is wait…and I certainly hope those two know how to use the _Sands of Time_."

"Sofia's a smart girl, and Cedric is resourceful. Plus I left some instructions in its box. They'll figure it out."

"You never cease to amaze me." With careful precision, they managed to kiss once through the bars before smiling at each other.

"Hey, Finlay!" Ira's voice came from a few cells over. "Who are you smooching over there?"

"Who's that?" Gabriella asked with a defensive tone.

"It's just Ira, my cell neighbor… He's kept me entertained this past week…" He glanced over his shoulder. "It's my wife, Ira. Now go back to sleep."

"Oh, okay…" He rolled over and fell asleep, his snores echoing off the walls.

Gabriella laughed. "So…he's harmless, then?"

"Well, he believes himself to be a dragon of course, but other than that, yes." He smirked as she giggled. He lifted one hand and gently stroked her cheek. "We'll have a much longer talk when we get out of here, Gabriella. I believe there are some serious things we need to discuss."

She grasped his hand resting against her cheek, her eyes becoming softer as she gazed at him. "I couldn't agree more, Finlay…"

To be continued…


	7. Honesty is the Worst Policy

Proof Positive

Summary: Cedric and Sofia attend a sorcery seminar in the Kingdom of Helvetica where they run into Gabriella, a reformed sorceress-in-training whom they encountered a few years ago. She informs them that her mentor, Sir Finlay, has been arrested on what she proclaims are false charges of treason and seeks their help to clear his name. *Many references to "Magic of Memories"* *Chapter story*

Disclaimer: I don't own _Sofia the First_. I only own Gabriella, Sir Finlay, the Kingdom of Helvetica, and any original characters associated with it.

A/N: Yay! The last chapter is here! :) Don't you worry. You'll see quite a few things some of you have hinted at or questioned come to pass here. The king will have to come to terms with a few things, but so will Gabriella. ;) And of course, the ever-lingering question for Cedric: will they actually get to attend _any_ of the Sorcery Seminar?! …Guess you'll just have to find out. Also, I know a lot of you don't like the king. Trust me, I know he's being a bit of a jerk in here, but there's a reason for it. You'll see! Enjoy!

*Story*

Chapter 7: Honesty is the Worst Policy

"Emilio!" King Cyprus called, getting the attention of his butler. "More tea please! And a little extra dessert for our guest."

"Right away, Your Majesty," Emilio, a tall and posh-looking man with stylish graying hair, responded with a curt bow. He made his way into the kitchen to deliver the order.

"Really, Your Majesty, I'm fine," Gideon insisted as he stretched a little bit in his chair. "That was the best meal I've ever had!" He smiled toward Queen Léonie, who offered him an uncomfortable short smile in return before returning to her own meal.

"Can I have your cake if you're not hungwy?" little Luca asked sweetly from his spot near the guest.

"Eh, sure, kid—I mean, Prince Luca." Truthfully, Gideon had little idea how to behave around royalty. It's not like he had been planning on being invited to dinner, but who was he to turn down free food?

"So tell us, Gideon," Queen Léonie began gently, though her gaze seemed to be tearing away layers of the brown-haired boy. "How did you come to determine that both Sir Finlay and Gabriella were in fact planning to overthrow my husband?" The way she'd asked it was a pretty good notion that she was somewhat suspicious of this stranger.

"My crystal ball told me, Your Majesty." He accepted the cake Emilio offered to him before passing it to the hyper three-year-old boy, who gleefully began eating it. "I mean, everyone had heard about Sir Finlay's outburst, which was as much a surprise to me as you—after all, I admired the man. I studied his books and everything. But Gabriella struck a chord for me—something wasn't quite right. So I came to tell you both, and that's when I encountered her…and the rest King Cyprus saw for himself."

"Yes," the red-haired king remarked with a stroke of his mustache. "It's just so unlike Finlay to act so strangely. He's the one who defined the proper techniques and decorum of a royal sorcerer, and he's been such an asset to the kingdom…until that little waif of his came along, that is."

"Cyprus," his wife scolded, a sharp look directed at him.

"I'm just saying, Léonie. Before Gabriella arrived, his actions were far more precise and he was more focused on what was going on. I had a feeling they were romantically involved, unfortunately, but I'd no idea they had gone off and gotten married. He had everything before him. Why waste it on marriage?"

The brown-haired woman folded her arms and stared pointedly at her husband, who seemed to be regretting his words. "Why, indeed?"

"Darling, you know I didn't mean anything by it. I'm just making an observation."

"Perhaps your observations are better left reserved for a different time, dear?" she asked with not-so-hidden annoyance as a saccharine smile appeared on her face.

"Daddy's in twouble," Luca observed cutely.

"It would appear so, son."

Gideon turned and rolled his eyes at the royals' quarrel. If this was what he had to look forward to with marriage, he'd just assume avoid the whole thing altogether.

"Mr. Cedric, hurry," Sofia whispered as she pulled her mentor along behind her. They'd eased past several obstacles and were finally in the dining room with the other three. She moved to approach the table before Cedric grabbed her hand, pulling her back. She blinked at him.

"You're not going to do what I think you're going to do, are you?" he asked cautiously.

She grinned. "I don't know. You tell me, since you apparently know me so well." She took advantage of his hand holding hers and instead dragged him forward toward the table. Despite his protests, they arrived at the side of the queen's chair and paused. "All right, Mr. Cedric. Here we go." She held her free hand to her amulet.

"Sofia," Cedric interrupted quickly, getting her attention. "If, um… If anything goes wrong and we somehow get into trouble for this…"

"I'll tell Dad it wasn't your fault," she assured him, garnering an appreciative smile from him. "Don't worry, Mr. Cedric. We're in this together." She closed her eyes, her fingers pressing more firmly to her amulet. "We wish to be our normal height again."

Those situated around the table were quite startled to see the two friends suddenly appear from seemingly nowhere. Well, the adults were surprised; Luca…?

"Again, again!" the little boy giggled while clapping his tiny hands.

King Cyprus frowned suspiciously at the sorcerer and his apprentice. "Cedric, Princess Sofia… I thought I had asked you to leave."

"I think you asked the wrong people to leave, King Cyprus," Sofia stated clearly, her hands reaching into the pocket in her robe. She withdrew the box that Gabriella had given her earlier and frowned. "Gideon here isn't what he seems to be."

The teenager glowered at the young girl and grasped his crystal ball in his right hand.

"Beneath that mask of innocence and nobility is a jealous and scorned boy who simply doesn't know how to take no for an answer." Sofia opened the box and withdrew the _Sands of Time_ , tilting it upside down and allowing the green sands to begin flowing downward. " _Sands of Time_ , heed my call. Show King Cyprus what really happened that night at the ball."

Everyone in the room shielded their eyes as a bright light flashed.

 _Sofia, Cedric, Gideon, King Cyprus, Queen Léonie, and little Prince Luca all stood aside, transparent to those around them as this was merely a memory, and watched the scene unfold. Cedric made sure to have his wand ready just in case, since Gideon appeared rather shifty at this point._

 **Sir Finlay and Gabriella quickly pulled apart, surprised by the sudden intrusion. They observed what appeared to be a teenaged boy with his medium-length brown hair tied into a low ponytail and a red outfit to match his ruby eyes. He couldn't have been older than maybe nineteen, though he seemed rather strange at first look.**

" **May I help you?" Sir Finlay inquired as Gabriella moved behind him. He knew she was a bit more aloof with strangers, so he wasn't necessarily surprised at her reaction.**

" **You're Sir Finlay, aren't you?" the boy asked excitedly.**

" **I am—"**

" **Oh, my stars, it's so awesomely amazing to meet you!" He grabbed Sir Finlay's hand and started shaking it enthusiastically. "I'm Gideon, and I've been studying magic for a long time now. And if it pleases you, I'd love to come study magic with you!"**

" _Awesomely amazing, eh?" the king remarked as he looked toward Gideon, who seemed a bit nervous as they observed the scene unfolding._

" **Wait a minute," Gabriella interrupted, grabbing her husband's hand and pushing him away from the boy. "There's only one apprentice here, and that's me, kid. So back off."**

 **The brunette raised his eyebrows at the girl before him. "Kind of old to be an apprentice, aren't you?"**

" **Why, you little-!" She growled as Sir Finlay took her arms and gently pulled her back. "Let me go, Finlay! I'm going to teach this little brat some manners!"**

 **Gideon smirked at her reaction before smiling kindly toward the sorcerer. "If you ever decide you'd rather have a more compliant apprentice, just remember my name: Gideon."**

" **You'll never amount to anything," Gabriella seethed, her words dripping with venom. "Keep your precious ambitions to yourself, and stay away from my hu—mentor. Now go! Get out!" She didn't even realize that all eyes were on them now.**

" **I…" Gideon gasped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. A guard had come and was now escorting him out. He left without a fight.**

" **Was that really necessary?" Finlay asked as he released the girl and gave her a stern stare, his arms folded.**

" **I got a bad feeling from him," she mumbled in defense.**

 _Sofia shook the hourglass a couple of times, as indicated in the instructions, and the scene changed to right outside the castle, where the past form of Gideon was now outside the gates._

 **His fists clenched around the iron bars, his ruby eyes shooting daggers at the castle. "So that's how it's going to be, is it?" he asked with a tone of malice that those observing hadn't expected from him. "Fine. Watch your backs. NO ONE denies Gideon Byström." He withdrew his crystal ball. "** _ **No one**_ **."**

 _So then with the magic of the Sands of Time, Sofia demonstrated all of the events from Gideon's perspective, including his transformation from himself into Sir Finlay, which proved beyond any doubt that the sorcerer was, in fact, innocent the whole time._

" _Enough!" the king announced, urging the princess to cease her use of the magical item._

"Guards, seize him!" King Cyprus announced as he pointed toward Gideon. "For treason and for framing a member of the royal court."

Gideon smirked. "Nice try, Your Majesty." He threw his crystal ball toward the marble floor, creating a thick gray smoke, which covered the entire dining room. While the others were coughing, the brunette grabbed Sofia and dragged her away.

"Let me go!" she demanded as she attempted to peer through the smoke. "Mr. Cedric! Help!"

"Sofia?!" Cedric glared around, realizing his apprentice was no longer next to him. "Mm…" He held up his wand. " _Aufero fumus_!"

Upon the command, the smoke in the room dissipated, revealing Gideon next to the door with his own wand now pointed at the young girl. "Make one move, and the princess will suffer something awful."

"Let her go," Queen Léonie demanded, her regal tone on full display now. "The girl has done nothing to you."

"She and her sorcerer friend couldn't mind their own business, Your Highness, so yes...she _has_ done something to me. I'm tired of people mistaking me for a simpleton and a nuisance, and if this is the way it has to be, so be it."

"You realize you're going to prison after this, right?" King Cyprus spoke.

"Only if you can catch me," he sneered as he held Sofia tighter.

The princess finally had enough. "Let…me…go!" Loosening her right arm, she used her Enchantlet as a lasso, encircling it around the boy and yanking him to the ground. "You need a time out," she stated simply as Gideon groaned in pain.

A few guards untied the teen from the lasso and stood him before King Cyprus.

"I think it's time we made an adjustment here," the man stated clearly as he glared at the disheveled Gideon. "You're under arrest."

"Obviously," Gideon sneered, wincing as one of the guards elbowed him. "Ow?"

"Take him to the dungeon."

"Yes, sire," the guards answered simultaneously as they carted the teen off.

"So can we release Sir Finlay and Gabriella now then?" the girl enthused. She smiled as Cedric placed a hand on her shoulder, as if checking to see if she was all right. She hugged him to offer some reassurance.

"Sir Finlay, of course," the king responded. "I'd rather leave Gabriella in there."

"Pardon my saying so, Your Majesty, but you seem to have a severe dislike of Miss Gabriella," Cedric mentioned with a curious frown. "Granted, she's not always been too terribly pleasant, but I hardly consider that any reason to keep the girl locked in the dungeon."

"Yeah," Sofia added with a frown. "And besides, they're married now. He obviously sees the good in her, so why can't you?"

"Because I've seen what she really is," the king snapped, surprising them.

"Darling," Queen Léonie prodded gently, grabbing his arm. "They're right. Despite how you feel about Gabriella, it's only right to release both of them. After all, whatever may have happened in the past, you cannot let that cloud your judgment of the present. Gabriella is no longer the same girl she was all those years ago."

"Hmm. Very well, then. Follow me."

Sofia and Cedric exchanged confused glances before following the king while the queen returned to her son to tend to him.

"What if we're never set free, Finlay?" Gabriella lamented as she clung tighter to her husband's hand. She'd been standing on the chair for a while, and she was growing weary, but she didn't want to let him go. Granted, for her body's sake, she did feel it was important to take a rest soon.

"Don't worry, _mon cher_ ," he returned kindly with a warm chuckle. "I've no doubt our luck is about to change."

Not even a second after he'd said that, the door to the dungeon opened, and in marched the guards with Gideon. Both magic enthusiasts watched as the guards locked Gideon in a cell next to Ira's before turning and leaving. They made note that one of the guards had taken his wand, thankfully.

"Was that…?" Gabriella trailed off, her dark eyes widening in disbelief. She released Sir Finlay's hand and carefully lowered to the floor again before rushing to the cell door, sighing in relief when she realized her husband had done the same in his own cell.

King Cyprus entered with Cedric and Sofia following them. He motioned for them to stay back for a moment as he walked forward and unlocked both cells, releasing the sorcerer and sorceress. "As much as it pains me to admit it," he began evenly, "I made a mistake. Sir Finlay, I gravely offer my apologies. You've been nothing but a wonderful ally and asset to our kingdom, and I don't know how I could have doubted you."

The silver-haired man smiled warily, not quite knowing how to respond.

"And Gabriella, I…" He cleared his throat. "Well, while I still disapprove of your union to Finlay, you actually were innocent this time, so good for you."

The dark-haired girl folded her arms and lifted one delicate eyebrow. "I'm never going to live it down, am I?"

"Okay, I'm confused," Sofia finally interrupted, getting their attention. "What exactly happened that King Cyprus doesn't trust Miss Gabriella?"

The sorceress inhaled and sighed loudly. "I used to be a criminal," she admitted, surprising the two Enchancian friends. "I would steal things from the castle, break the wheels on the carriages, break the locks on the back doors so I could sneak in and get some food later…" She shrugged as Finlay grabbed her hand and pulled her into an embrace. She smiled lightly. "One day, I happened to steal from the wrong man, and he caught me. Finny dared me to change my perspective, and he saw the potential in me. He introduced me to magic, and a few years in…"

"We fell in love," the older sorcerer remarked as he looked directly toward the king. "I know she isn't perfect, Your Majesty, but I love her. I've seen the good in her, and I wish you would give her a chance to prove it to you as well. If you hold on to the past, you'll never see the future."

King Cyprus sighed and nodded, a look of shame crossing his features. "You're right, Sir Finlay… Gabriella, I'm truly sorry for all the discord that has occurred between us. I guess I just didn't want to see the good in you, even though you've become much better in recent years."

She smiled thoughtfully. "I appreciate it, Your Majesty."

"As do I," Sir Finlay interjected. "However, I feel this must be said. Your Majesty, I admire you for your determination and loyalty to this kingdom. You've put forth a lot of effort to establish a sense of grandeur to Helvetica. But if Gabriella and I are to remain here, you must treat her like a human being and show her the same kindness and respect you would to me. She's my wife, whether you like it or not, and from here on out I won't let anyone—not even you—treat her as you have these last several years."

Cedric beamed at his friend's words. Oh, it was nice to see his fellow sorcerer standing up to a rigid royal like that. It made him so proud.

King Cyprus blinked, realizing his sorcerer had just offered him an ultimatum. _No one_ had ever spoken to him that way before, and he wasn't quite sure how to react. Should he chide the man? Should he apologize again? He frowned before folding his arms. "I…will treat Gabriella as I have you: as a member of the family."

Gabriella smirked. "So…Uncle Cyprus then?"

"Don't push it."

She turned back toward Finlay and smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck. "You need a bath," she pointed out with a grin.

"Imagine that," he murmured before kissing her cheek. "Oh, you mentioned you had something to tell me earlier? We kept getting interrupted."

"Eh, I'm not sure now is the right time," she said as she glanced toward the others.

"Gabby—"

Gabriella huffed at Sir Finlay's insistency and folded her arms. "Oh, for goodness—I'm pregnant, all right?"

"Oh, is that-?" His eyes widened before a smile stretched across his face, matching hers. "Are you really?"

She smiled smugly toward the king, who appeared pale. "Mm-hmm."

King Cyprus attempted to form words before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he promptly fainted, falling hard against the stone floor.

"Oh, wow," Sofia giggled before hurrying over and hugging both Gabriella and Sir Finlay. "I'm so happy for you guys!"

"Thank you, Sofia," Gabriella laughed as she knelt toward the girl. "It took a lot of guts what you and Cedric did: standing up to others for us. Not many princesses venture outside their ivory towers on behalf of others."

"It's what she does best," Cedric chimed before shaking hands with both of the adults. "Congratulations to you both. Sofia, we need to be going. The Sorcery Seminar will be ending soon enough, and I'd hate to have you miss the last part before we go home."

She smiled and nodded toward her friend. "All right, Mr. Cedric." She turned back to the other two. "We'll see you again in the future, right?"

"I've no doubt," Sir Finlay answered with a calm smile. "Much thanks to you, Princess Sofia. Give our regards to your family."

"And don't forget to give the _Sands of Time_ back to the Sorcery Seminar people," Gabriella reminded her with a grin.

"I will! Bye, you guys!" She and Cedric then left.

"…We should probably deal with him," Gabriella mentioned as she gestured toward their collapsed king. "Though to be honest, I prefer him like this."

"Gabriella, really." Sir Finlay rolled his eyes. He kissed her once before lowering and hoisting the man to his feet. "Come on, Your Majesty. Ugh, this would be so much better if I had my wand…"

"Yeah, we need to get those back pronto." She moved to the other side of King Cyprus and helped the sorcerer maneuver him up the dungeon stairs.

"Should you be doing this much strenuous work in your condition?" Sir Finlay inquired, sounding both serious and playful at the same time.

"Shut up, Finlay."

That evening after everything seemed to be back to normal with Finlay and Gabriella returned to their workshop/bed chambers (and with their wands properly restored), Gideon couldn't sleep. It wasn't that he refused to sleep. It wasn't even that he was pondering where he'd gone wrong in his plan. It was because his cell neighbor—Ira or whatever his name was—wouldn't stop snoring!

"HEY!" Gideon snapped as he sat up, shaking the bars to the divide between their cells. "Can you snore a little quieter? I'm trying to sleep here!"

The figure beneath the covers sat up, yawning and smacking his lips before looking sleepily toward his new neighbor. "Huh?"

Gideon's eyes widened. "Uh-uh-uh…" He rushed over to the door, shaking it furiously. "HELP! THERE'S A DRAGON IN THE DUNGEON!"

Ira, now evidently transformed into an orange dragon, shrieked in a similarly freaked fashion and also began shaking his own door. "A dragon?! No! Who would lock a dragon in the dungeon?!" He paused as he realized his hands were…well, not hands anymore. A bright smile broke out across his face as he made a realization. "Aw, yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" He blew a steady stream of fire at the bars to his door, melting the iron within minutes. He slipped out gracefully before waving to Gideon. "Good luck, buddy!" With that, he flew off and out of the place he'd been staying for the last few years.

Gideon whimpered and plopped to the ground with a gruff sigh. "Man, I should have been a dragon."

Several months later, Sofia skipped into Cedric's workshop and sat down beside him, glancing over his shoulder. "What's that?" she asked curiously as she saw a letter in his hands. She blinked as he shared it with her.

 _Dear Cedric and Princess Sofia,_

 _We hope you are doing well. Our little family is getting on just fine. Both Gabriella and I have made significant progress with mending the bond with the royal family, and King Cyprus has certainly changed his tune in regards to Gabriella. They have even had a few private talks, from what she tells me, and have become quite cordial with each other._

 _Gideon somehow escaped the dungeon, unfortunately. No one knows where he is now, though I've a feeling it's not the last we've heard from him. I'll keep my eyes peeled, and I hope you'll do the same. Also, evidently, the man with whom I'd shared an adjacent cell—Ira—also managed to escape. Apparently, King Cyprus needs better security down there. Ironically enough, there were reports of a strange orange dragon doing summersaults in the sky, and I can only derive that it was likely Ira… He constantly insisted he was indeed a dragon, so I suppose he was telling the truth after all._

 _Attached to the back of this letter is our official portrait that the Helvetian Painter created for us, including Gabriella, myself, and our daughter Sapphire. She's such a jewel…pun intended._

 _Hope to see you both soon. Take care._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Sir Finlay of Helvetica_

Sofia turned the letter over and beamed as she saw the official portrait. Finlay and Gabriella were locked in an embrace while their silver-haired daughter, happily sleeping, lay curled in both of her parents' arms. "Aw, they are such a beautiful family, aren't they, Mr. Cedric?"

"Hmm, yes, I suppose they are." He chuckled and pinned the portrait to the wall before sliding the letter into his desk for safe keeping. He glanced toward his apprentice. "Ready for our lesson?"

"Yep!" She smiled as he handed her the training wand, and their lesson commenced.

Meanwhile, in an undisclosed location, a strange boy with disheveled long brown hair stared at the Enchancian castle from a distance. His ruby eyes narrowed. "One of these days, _Princess_ , vengeance will be mine…" Gideon chuckled and turned, stalking away as a vortex opened before him and he vanished in midair.

The end

A/N 2: You may or may not see Gideon in the future. :p If I take him on again, it'll be down the road. I need a break from him. Lol. Also, I'm aware that a lot of people still won't like the king even after everything, and I can't say I blame you. He's not a very likable character. :D Either way, hope you all enjoyed the story. I had fun writing it. Don't worry though! You WILL see Finlay and his family in the future. After all, we now have Sapphire! :) A little fun trivia: Sapphire is a name derivative of "Sophia/Sofia," and yes, it was totally intended. ;) Later! ~AquaTurquoise


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